| Associated
Press July 15, 2006 SINGAPORE SINGAPORE will raise the foreign-worker levy paid by employers in order to lower demand, the Ministry of Manpower said. The skilled foreign-worker levy will be raised to S$150 (US$94; €75) a month from S$100 (US$63; €50) from Jan 1, the ministry said in a statement Friday, Jul 14. The levy was reduced during the Asian financial crisis in 1998 and 1999 to stimulate the then-struggling economy. "Robust economic conditions over the past two years have resulted in healthy job growth and a rising demand for labor," the ministry said. "In 2005, the number of new foreign work permit holders increased by 43,000, the largest increase since 1997." The goal of the levy is to protect the jobs and wages of Singaporeans. The city-state relies heavily on foreign workers. |
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